There’s nothing quite like the feeling of spending time in your yard. Feeling the kiss of warm sunshine on your face and a light breeze touching your back might be your own definition of heaven. But those Zen-like feelings can be brought to a screeching halt if pests overtake your little slice of heaven. To keep your yard to yourself–and those unwanted critters at bay–here are some hints on natural pest control for your yard.

5 Smart Tips for Natural Pest Control

Build Bat Boxes

Some people think I’m crazy when I suggest installing bats. After all, bats strike terror into the hearts of many. However, bats are a great way to control the local mosquito population.

I live in North Carolina. Here, we have a moist and hot climate all summer long. Thus, we grow mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds. I can’t step foot outside my screened porch without being swarmed. Enter the bats.

Bats are active in the evenings when the mosquitoes are buzzing. They eat a diet of insects. Their favorite treat is the mosquito. They will eat them all night long, keeping the population in check.

Install bat boxes to give them a safe place to “hang out” all day, and by night they will begin to patrol your yard and rid it of those buzzing pests.

Invest in Chickens

Everyone knows that chickens can provide you with nutritious eggs and lean meat. That’s why most people keep chickens.

Did you know that they can also help you control pests? In particular, chickens love to eat protein-packed bugs like flies, crickets, and grasshoppers.

In addition, they seem to have a keen zest for their favorite snack–ticks. Keeping chickens can help keep your yard rid of ticks to help keep those disease-spreading bloodsuckers out from under your skin. Literally!

Keep the Squirrels at Bay

Squirrels are so cute that most people don’t think of them as a pest. They scamper around the yard collecting nuts and chasing each other. But they can also cause damage to your home.

This is because squirrels love to nest in your gutters. Squirrels try to nest in a place that’s high enough to be safe from ground predators but still maintain protection from birds of prey. Your gutters make the ideal space as the eaves of your home keep them safe from above and even the agilest cat can’t jump that high!

Once squirrels (or mice and birds, for that matter) have built a nest in your gutters, they can’t drain properly. This creates water backups that cause damage to your roof. Instead of trapping these pests, block them out by installinggutter guards. This allows water to enter while your friends from the forest are neatly blocked out.

Install an Owl Nesting Box

In addition to squirrels, other rodents can cause big problems in your yard and home. Moles can tunnel around your yard making your fastidious landscaping projects look messy. Mice will make every effort to wiggle through teeny cracks to invade your pantry and leave trails of messy mouse poop as a thank you note for the nice meal.

One solution is to try to attract a barn owl. Barn owls are voracious eaters who will consume up to 15 rodents each day. Unlike rodent poisons, you don’t need to worry about them getting into your walls to die!

Store Seeds and Feeds Securely

Look around your shed or barn. Do you see open bags of bird seed or pet seed? I know that I’m guilty of this occasionally, myself! While it’s fun to attract birds to your backyard and keep cats in the barn, keep their foods well-contained.

An easy solution is to purchase large trash cans with tight lids and locking handles. Eliminating the food source squashes the curiosity of mice, rats, and insects alike.

Summary

In summary, look for creative solutions that allow you to make your outdoor spaces more enjoyable for you, the human! You don’t need to resort to poisons that can harm your pets or children or the cruelty of traps. Using natural pest control is the best method for dealing with them.

Author Bio: Randy Schreiber is the owner ofGutterBrush.With extensive experience in the home services industry, Randy enjoys sharing common sense home maintenance tips through blogging.

]]>Healthy Dog Foodhttps://www.buildgreatfarms.com/healthy-dog-food/
Sun, 20 May 2018 02:34:34 +0000https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/?p=2541What You Should Know About A Raw Food Diethttps://www.buildgreatfarms.com/what-you-should-know-about-a-raw-food-diet/
Wed, 03 Jan 2018 22:05:12 +0000https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/?p=2475For so many people, a controversial topic is raw food pet diets. There is; however, little doubt in the fact that their popularity continues to rise. For a growing number, a healthy alternative to those foods which are commercially processed is feeding dogs and cats raw meat.

They also see it as a return to their natural eating habits. On the other side, those critical of this process point out that our modern furry friends have advanced far from their original wild start and in fact are actually hurt rather than benefited by their eating raw meat, vegetables, and bones. The fact of the matter is that it is somewhere in the middle that the truth actually lies.

Proper Balance Is Vital To A Good Raw Food Diet

It used to be believed by veterinarians and scientists that domesticated cats and dogs had in fact adapted to an omnivorous diet after their spending thousands of years living among humans. The fact is; however, that even though they have the ability to follow a human diet much better than their wild ancestors could, for their main source of food, they still depend on meat.

Rich in starch is processed dog and cat foods and starch is a sort of carbohydrate that carnivore animals do not easily process. And because pets are not able to process this diet which is essentially grain-based, there has been a great rise in their being subject to diabetes. But the answer isn’t making a sudden U-turn and feeding raw meat to your pet. The reason for this is the fact that all the nutrients required by your pet to stay healthy are not contained in that meat.

What you have to do is to complement that raw meat with other foods. Fewer health problems occur in pets fed with a balanced diet and the chances are far less they will suffer from arthritis, diabetes, inflammation, obesity, and diseases of the urinary tract than those who on starch-heavy processed foods are fed.

To Supplement Your Pet’s Diet, Use Additives

Even though carnivores by nature are our dogs and cats, adding to their meals small amounts of vegetables, eggs, and cooked grains is the best way to administer the vitamins and minerals that they need. A good example this is so can be found in the many additives contained in commercially produced raw foods.

A formula commonly used among manufacturers is the BARF diet and it tells us that a meal is best when it is 50% raw meat with the rest being other ingredients and additives. Included in this will be animal-based ingredients such as bone, eggs, and organs, but also foods such as vegetables in small additions.

The combination of these ingredients help make certain the pets do intake the proper amounts of necessary nutrients like Omega 3, which from a strictly meat-based diet they would not get. You can also help get the most out of the diet for your pet by using minced vegetables and juicing or cooking them so they will be easier for your pet to process.

Transitioning Over To A Raw Meat Diet

For the owner, it can often be a difficult task, switching a pet’s diet. It is not uncommon to notice animals suffering from diarrhea problems because the time necessary to get used to their new diet they didn’t have. The sad thing is that this often leads owners to think the new diet is the problem and they wind up returning back to processed foods for their pet.

Rather than the sudden change of food, the majority of veterinarians will actually blame diarrhea on bacteria. To changes in their diet, dogs and cats are truly very sensitive, so the best course is to make a step-by-step transition and not simply an overnight one. Doing so will allow the pet’s metabolism proper time to be able to more easily adapt.

Introducing the new food as a treat is the best way to get started, as opposed to simply mixing it with the old processed food. Processed and raw foods are digested differently by dogs and cats, so by mixing them together, you will be making your pet get inflammation. It is better if for several days you keep raw food being used as a treat, while you continue to monitor the pet’s stool. If that stool continues to be normal, keep increasing the raw food quantity until the old food can be completely discontinued.

The limitations of processed foods continue to be learned by pet owners, as raw meat diets continue to gain popularity. Your dog or cat will feel more healthy with the raw foods and their chances of having to deal with illnesses like diabetes and others will be greatly reduced. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to consult with a professional on just what additives to feed your pet, should you want to make the very most of this change.

]]>Tips On How To Go About Compostinghttps://www.buildgreatfarms.com/tips-on-how-to-go-about-composting/
Wed, 27 Dec 2017 22:55:46 +0000https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/?p=2505Composting is similar to managing a popular restaurant. Before a chef gets down to business, they have to ensure they have the right set of ingredients needed to deliver amazing dishes. Composting is an art too and you ought to carefully select what forms the pile.

Similar to a chef meeting the needs of their loyal customers, your compost must cater for the nutritional needs of your plantations. Similar to preparing a meal, you must include adequate amounts of green and brown clippings in your compost bin.

“Greens” and “browns” are the commonly used to refer to all the organic matter that goes into creating a compost bin. The key difference between these two ingredients is not necessarily on the appearance but rather on the basic components of the organic matter. Green organic elements are naturally rich in nitrogen and protein while the brownies are organic materials that have a high concentration of carbon or carbohydrates.

The green organic matter provides a conducive environment for microbes in compost to grow and thrive, due to their high concentration of nitrogen and protein. Green matter is also crucial because it generates heat in the compost pit. The brown organic materials, in turn, provide the energy that soil micro-organisms need to facilitate decomposition. Due to their high carbon concentration, browns act as an air filter that absorbs any odor emanating from the pile. Carbon components also accelerate the formation of humus from the pile as well as preventing the escape of organic nitrogen.

Differentiating between greens and browns

It can be a daunting task trying to differentiate between a brown and a green organic material. The best way is to soak the elements and wait a for a few days. If the component emits an odor, then it belongs to the green category. However, checking the color is not always a reliable way of distinguishing the two.

An excellent example of why the color is not a reliable distinguishing factor is the fact that all leaves whether brown, green or red are categorized as browns. Leaves are naturally rich in carbon. Leaves from evergreen plants tend to have a higher concentration of carbon than leaves from other plants. The only exception is the Oak tree leaves which are not classified as browns. Oak leaves boast a high amount of nitrogen which places them squarely in the green category.

Kitchen leftovers, grass clippings, and animal waste are other examples of materials classified as greens. Clippings from grass are desirable as long as you do not apply hazardous chemicals in the form of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers on your grass. On the other hand papers, wood chops, tree barks, mulches, and sawdust fall under the category of browns.

Wood products aside, sugar products also fall under the browns category. Syrups, molasses, brown sugar and carbonated beverages are examples of sugar products you can include in your compost pit. Sugary products come in handy when you intend to accelerate microbe activity in your compost pit.

Fruit peels, vegetable residue, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, and filters are other examples of greens. Straw, hay, corn stalks and pine needles are other examples of browns. However, pine needles ought to be used sparingly, too much of this material is likely to tip the scales in favor of the browns.

Component ratio

The secret to creating an excellent compost lies in the ratio of greens to browns you apply in your pile. A rule of thumb is to combine browns and greens in a ratio of 3:1 to achieve a proper compost. This translates to having three parts of the pile made up of carbon-rich components and one part rich in nitrogen.

How long does it take for the compost to be ready for use?

It is important to exercise patience when handling compost material. However, it takes roughly between a month and a year before your first batch of decomposed humus is ready for harvesting. Generally, the time it takes for a compost pile to be ready will depend on factors such as the size of your pit, compost materials, the method of composting (hot or cold) and the weather. It is also crucial to consider how you intend to utilize the humus. It is possible to use the organic materials at different stages of the composting process.

Allowing your compost to decompose for an extended period leads to a finer, darker and nutrient-rich humus. However, it is not mandatory to wait until the final stage before using the manure. If you have flower beds that require mulching, you can apply the compost mulch while still in its chunky form. Mulching helps to regulate soil temperature while deterring the growth of weeds.

If your plantations require mature compost, it is advisable to wait until the later stages of decomposition. Below are a few things that will help you know if your compost is ready for use.

1. if the amount of organic material in your pit reduces to half its original size.

2.if the final material is unrecognizable

3.if the pile is no longer as warm as it initially was (apply when you are using the hot composting method)

4. if the compost material changes color and now appears dark.

Having a two-bin system will ensure that you have a constant supply of compost material throughout the year. You can use the double bin system to host organic materials at different stages of decomposition.

]]>Common Materials Suitable for Home Compostinghttps://www.buildgreatfarms.com/common-materials-suitable-for-home-composting/
Wed, 27 Dec 2017 19:36:37 +0000https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/?p=2503Composting is a simple process you can use, to reduce the food matter and materials that goes into the trash. Composting is a great way to reuse certain organic materials, because it can be done no matter where you live and can be done on a smaller or larger scale. How much you’re able to compost will depend on many factors, such as family size, the types of foods you usually consume, and how often you eat at home.

In the home, you can begin preparing for a composting project by going through each area and making a list of the materials you have that can be composted.By taking inventory, you will know where to begin with the composting process and what materials you have to add to the compost.

Kitchen/Dining

In the kitchen, start by considering what you have in the freezer that is no longer edible. Fish, vegetables, and meats with freezer burn can be suitable for composting. You may even be able to use the dust and lint that accumulates behind the refrigerator. Any outdated bottles of ketchup, mustard, relishes, or dressings can also be good candidates for composting.

In the dining area, consider all the left over food that is disposed of. Much of it can be composted instead. If you use paper napkins they may also go into the composting bin.

Home office or study

any small paper items like sticky notes can be composted. If you sometimes take food into your study space, you may want to use leftovers as well. You may have fewer materials in from this space. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t use them to contribute to the compost heap.

Pet cages and pens

Does animal hair frustrate you? You can use any animal hair you sweep up in composting. If you have wood chips or sawdust type materials for bedding, it can also be composted.

Outdoor gardens

The backyard garden is one of the best places to find composting materials. Items line pine needles, small twigs, fallen leaves, herbs, dried plant matter, and chicken droppings all provide nutrients for a compost pile. When collecting materials from the back yard for a compost bin, you may need to take along a larger container. The list of materials you can compost from the back yard is nearly endless.

What to avoid

While some pet add pet droppings to the compost pile, many people don’t. Birds, dogs, cats, and other animals can carry diseases humans can pick up, especially by handling droppings or by breathing in the airborne spores. Unless you know your pet is completely disease free, this may not be a good source for the compost heap.

Some other materials you will want to avoid include dead, mold ridden, or otherwise diseased plant matter. Molds and other diseases can spread, making it more difficult to generate the kind of good bacteria you want to maintain in composting.

Some food items are not suitable for composting. They include breads, meats or any parts, dairy, grease and cooking fats, and other animal derived products.

You will need to consider how to contain the compost. A bin can be a specially designed, free standing container or a structure built in the back yard that is stationary. Keep in mind the compost area should be large enough to accommodate all the waste materials you want to add to it. It will also need to be turned periodically, if you’re not using a special bin that is easily turned, you will need to turn the pile manually and this can be a labor-intensive process.

Composting equipment

The equipment you use in composting can be extremely helpful or severely limiting. If you’re committed to a composting effort, you will want to become familiar with common tools used in the process. Some tools are important in maintaining healthy, viable compost to be used in the future.

The compost site

The site for composting is most important, especially if you choose a stationary place for the project. it should be free of debris and should be located where it will get plenty of sunlight. you want to make sure the compost heap gets to a certain temperature, to break down all the organic materials into the proper nutrients. The chosen sight should have easy access, for frequent monitoring and occasional turning of the materials.

Using a compost bin

A compost bin should be large enough to handle the materials you plan to put in it, but small enough to handle. It’s usually better to start with smaller, more manageable bins. You can always add a second bin if the first gets full and you’ve mastered the art of composting. The bin will need to be cleaned occasionally, so an easily accessible opening is desirable.

Thermometer

In order to compost effectively, the materials within the heap need to reach a certain temperature. A good thermometer that can reach the inner core of the compost is desirable. Some garden centers and retailers sell thermometers designed specifically for the purpose of composting.

Gardening fork

If your compost pile is not in a bin that can be turned or rotated, you will need to turn and mix the materials periodically. This calls for a sturdy garden fork that you can handle and use to manipulate the contents of the compost heap. The fork will be used often to test the texture and softness of the compost pile. You will also use the fork to turn or mix the compost pile contents infrequently.

Collection containers

If you want to maintain organization in the composting process, you may need to use smaller containers inside the home. They will be used to transport materials from the home to the outdoor compost heap, when they are full. You can also use the containers to separate like materials for composting. This makes it easier to add the right amount of carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients to the compost heap as needed.

Space for expansion

When you become skilled in composting, you may want to consider doing it on a larger scale. You should either have a secondary site for a compost heap or choose an initial site with plenty of room for composting on a larger scale. If outdoor space is limited, you may want to consider purchasing the bins that can be turned and moved. You will want to make sure any compost pit gets plenty of sunlight. You need to keep this in mind when planning the composting project.

A final consideration in locating the composting area is distance from neighbors. Some people will be offended from the smells of compost, that may be carried into their outdoor spaces on occasion. Keeping the compost bin away from property borders and possibly contained by fencing are good ways to manage compost piles and maintain good relations with neighbors. A healthy compost pile should have a slightly sweet smell, but may produce less desirable odors in the process of breaking down various materials.

]]>Simple Steps You Can Follow To Avoid Composting Dangershttps://www.buildgreatfarms.com/simple-steps-you-can-follow-to-avoid-composting-dangers/
Wed, 27 Dec 2017 13:53:40 +0000https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/?p=2501If you do a lot of composting around your home, you might not be aware that you are exposing yourself to certain dangers. While composting is very good for the environment there are some dangers that homeowners must be aware of. However, these can be avoided by following a few simple steps to keep yourself safe.

Read As Much As You Can

The best way to educate yourself on the dangers of composting is to do a little reading to make yourself familiar with the concepts and proper techniques of composting. By broadening your knowledge with as much information as possible before you begin composting, you will ensure that you are learning the correct methods and techniques of how to do it the right way. This will keep you, your family and your property from being exposed to anything that is harmful to your health and safety.

Wash Your Hands Frequently

After any composting activity, you must always wash your hands. This may seem obvious, but many homeowners sometimes get absorbed with their activities and forget to wash up afterwards, which can cause the risk of poisoning. Even if you wash your hands, all family members who assist you should be encouraged to do the same so that they are aware of the dangers of composting chemicals. You should also obtain a closed lid for the composting heap to contain chemical fuels.

Inspect Your Compost Frequently

Inspecting your compost frequently will ensure that there are no weeds growing there or small critters trying to inhabit the compost pile. You do not want your compost pile to become a breeding ground for animals such as foxes that may be dangerous. An active compost is actually quite dynamic, rather than a dull pile of manure, so ensure that it doesn’t attract the interest of any unwelcome critters.

Let Friends And Family Know About Your Composting Activities

Getting your family and friends involved in your composting activities is a great way to make them more environmentally conscious and help them to understand what you are doing. It will also help them to become aware of the tools and objects that you use in the backyard (if that is where you have your compost heap), which will help them to stay safe whenever they are in the area.

Keep Your Compost Aerated

One of the biggest dangers in composting is when your compost heap loses air. This can cause it to become poisonous to the soil. To avoid this, ensure that you use a closed bin and that there is plenty of air continuously circulating around the compost heap. This aeration process help to enhance the composting process and prevents organic materials from turning into an poisonous materials.

Familiarize Yourself With The Machinery

For industrial scale composting, special machinery is often used. If you are composting on a larger scale that requires the use of machinery, you must exercise caution when using it. Make sure that you are familiar with all the controls and commands and that you know how to handle it safely. You should be prepared to deal with worst-case scenarios and you must know the appropriate troubleshooting techniques for your equipment. Dealing with a compost heap on a larger scale can be quite dangerous, so ensure that you and the people who will be working with you on the industrial composting process are familiar with what to do.

Common Composting Problems

There are five common problems that generally arise when you are composting. Fortunately, they are relatively easy to troubleshoot safely. When monitoring the compost pile, look out for any signs of problems and if they occur try some of the solutions suggested below.

1. Too Many Flies

If you notice a swarm of flies around the compost bin this could mean that you have not put enough brown materials, such as leaves and twigs, on top of the food scraps. These food scraps are very inviting to flies, so ensure that you don’t leave them exposed.

2. Your Compost Has A Bad Smell

This could be due to the fact that there is not enough air circulating throughout the compost pile. Carefully turn over the compost and add a few bulky substances such as woodchips or sawdust. This can help to create pockets to allow the air to move freely.

3. Your Compost Pile Is Too Dry

If your compost pile is too dry, add a bit of water to moisten it. Do not soak the pile, just add enough water to wet it a bit. If the pile keeps drying out, look for some other reasons why, such as the location of the pile and the materials you are adding. You might need to move the compost bin to a more shady location or add some wet scraps to keep it moist.

4. The Compost Pile Only Works In Certain Spots

If the pile only seems to work in certain spots, it could be that it is not large enough or you are not rotating it enough. Ensure that you are consistently adding new scraps and that the pile is rotated every second day.

5. Unwanted Pests

Do not add any animal materials to the compost such as meat or bones. This will keep unwanted pests from interfering with the pile.

]]>Composting And Its Importancehttps://www.buildgreatfarms.com/composting-and-its-importance/
Wed, 27 Dec 2017 11:06:15 +0000https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/?p=2499Hot composting refers to the process wherein heat is created by making compost from organic matter. Cold (or passive) composting uses almost all the ingredients that go into hot composting and doesn’t require much gardening effort. With cold composting, there isn’t much commitment needed to manage or upkeep things but the results would take time.

For cold composting, organic materials such as grass clippings, leaves, manures, soil, etc. should be piled. However, human, dog and cat waste must be avoided. The kitchen scraps should be buried right in the pile’s center to deter animals and insects. Also, meat, fat and dairy should not be added. Weeds are out too as cold compost piles don’t hit high temperatures and don’t destroy weed seeds.

Active or hot composting incorporates microbes for breaking down matter. According to some experts, people should inject live organisms into the compost to get started with the process.

A few others usually recommend introducing healthy top soil since the “soil” also comprises live organisms that would help with the organic matter-compost material conversion. Irrespective of the composting route taken, the compost pile would generate heat once the process begins. It’s recommended to inspect or tend the compost pile every alternate day to confirm proper air circulation and correct moisture level.

If you are not too keen or are too busy to maintain a standard compost bin, getting started with a slow or cold compost would be a lot more ideal. With cold composts, you are just resorting to your grass clippings and yard waste instead of a blend of outdoor substances with kitchen scraps.

You only have to put together a pile of grass clippings and leaves and stay patient. The process is long and slow. In fact, it could take up to a year to yield usable compost. Make sure you don’t put in undesirable plants such as weeds, as they could withstand the composting and would grow again once the finished material is used.

If you create a good amount of yard trash and the waste is a bit too overwhelming to be featured in your typical compost bin, you may resort to any of the aforementioned composting methods.

Composting and Nature

In case you’re still not crystal-clear about composting and what it helps achieve, it’s quite a lot similar to recycling. Composting helps segregate garbage and waste and does not jettison them out as one huge pile. With recycling, you must pick out things that could still be used for various other purposes.

Soda cans or pins are the things that usually come out of recycling unscathed. These materials help with the manufacturing of aluminium. The other containers could be used as vases or pots. Used clothing could be turned into rugs or mats. The basic idea being trash could still comprise useful or usable things. And the majority of recycled substances are implemented as decorative items.

With compost products, you would not be cherry-picking things from the garbage pile to find out useful items for routine life. The whole process would not present you with a picture frame made from bottle caps or shells or exotic looking vase. These are things usually synonymous with recycling.

Composting is basically recycling natural materials. The popular samples, for instance, would be grass clippings, dried leaves, fruit or vegetable peelings, sawdust, and animal manure. Unlike items derived from recycling, the produce from composting come in handy for gardening.

This would be of significant help to people who do organic gardening. This gardening technique entails organic material usage. This means synthetic products cannot be used, particularly in the form of pesticides and fertilizers. If you think gardening without synthetics or chemicals is not possible, you’re wrong! Using compost would render the soil for organic gardening happy and healthy. As a consequence, the soil would help produce chemical-free plants and healthy crops.

Organic gardening is a relatively new concept and many people may not be familiar with it. It may be a bit complex compared to conventional gardening, but once you put your heart and soul into it, you would realize how worthwhile the whole process is. That said, organic gardening is not a mandatory step forward and if you cannot spare the time for it, it’s fine to stick with traditional gardening.

Not having time for organic gardening, however, should not discourage you from making compost. Compost comes in handy in almost all gardening situations. For instance, even people living in urban areas with their potted plants would find compost handy. As aforementioned, there’s no compulsion to take the organic route completely. But using compost products as fertilizer could help you dive deeper into gardening and also make you curious about or slant toward organic gardening.

The term “organic” is no more limited to the gardening realm. You can now get organic soap, organic food, cloth, organic tissue, etc. Organic seems to be in vogue and that’s good news for people who love nature.

If you take the extra steps to focus a lot more on composting, you are not just making nature lovers happy but also Mother Nature herself. And this pro-nature tendencies would most likely prompt you to delve into a lot more things that are environment-friendly.